Autumn Newsletter 2022
website:-acerwhitegates.org.uk
Dear Residents
YOU ARE INVITED TO AN OPEN COMMITTEE AND SOCIAL EVENING
On Wednesday 5th October at 7.45pm for 8pm start, Earley Home Guard Social Club, Pitts Lane
- An opportunity to have your say and meet local councillors
- Report on ACER’s meeting with Wokingham Borough Council, including the Leader of the Council.
Residents Survey issues to be raised at the meeting include:-
how development impacts parking, neighbours and greenery in streets.
- Offer of a new Colour Magazine for members as circulated to Maiden Erlegh Residents.
New WBC Traffic Survey in Whitegates The promised £40k funded comprehensive Traffic Survey scheduled for Whitegates at the end of May has apparently been re- scheduled for October. Local Councillors have for years repeatedly requested a comprehensive survey due to problems with parking, rat running, rush hour congestion and, of course, speeding.
Mysterious 30mph Flashing Speed signs The signs installed in Milton Road during the summer holidays were subsequently relocated in Erleigh Court Gardens. ACER has queried the timing of these installations due to untypical traffic flows during the school holidays. The purpose and operation of the signs needs to be clarified, for example; can they log actual speed and time of an ‘offence’ and therefore perform a data gathering function? WBC Transport Planning have been asked for a response.
ACER has requested similar permanent signs which tell drivers their actual speed, as our experience of the sign in Pitts Lane, which does not have the ability to display actual speed, is ignored by most drivers.
On The Buses
The number 19c Bus service to Royal Berks is once more under threat. Currently heavily subsidised by Wokingham Borough Council, funding may be withdrawn due to a lack of funding from central Government. ***Talks are ongoing but please do contact your Local Councillors (addresses at end of this newsletter); especially if you use this service. This would affect staff at the hospital, as well as patients and could further impact already limited hospital parking availability too.
Friends Of Bulmershe Open Space (FoBOS) – Plant A Tree For ‘23
FoBOS, working with WBC, has finalised and agreed a plan to implement significant tree and hedgerow planting within targeted areas of Bulmershe Field and Bulmershe Park. Planting will be implemented in the coming 2022/23 season. Key elements include boundary planting adjacent to Bulmershe and Addington Schools to help screen the buildings from the park, plus planting of native trees adjacent to Church Road and within Bulmershe Park to maintain a green screen as trees die of old age. The plan also includes reinstatement of the community orchard within Bulmershe Park, supported by fruit tree donations from Freely Fruity.
Biodiversity and Habitat
Contact has been made with experts at Reading University to discuss the possibility of undertaking a habitat assessment at Bulmershe Park. FoBOS have had a positive response to the idea from the University, and this is being followed up.
***GETTING INVOLVED***
***SpeedWatch – Volunteers are needed, full on-line training and PPE is provided. Serious and repeat offenders receive letters making them aware of their speed limit infraction. SpeedWatch is a proven deterrent to habitual speeding offenders. Find out about joining a team today.
***Subscription – we’d like to remind you that membership requires a voluntary donation to ensure ACER can continue to run for the benefit of all residents.
To contribute on-line use Paypal via the link: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/acerwhitegates/2 Please note: The default £2 shown can be altered to any amount. Your donation in an envelope, with your name and address, can be delivered to 21 Milton Road RG6 1EN.
***EASI (Earley Adopt a Street Initiative) – EASI have volunteer litter pickers for every street except for Shepherds House Lane and Trout Close. If you think you could find the time, please contact Richard Tredgett at easilittergroup@gmail.com
SCAM AWARENESS INFORMATION EVENING
The ‘Scam Awareness evening’ hosted by ACER on Wednesday, 6th July at St Peters Church Hall, was attended by residents from many parts of Earley. The event was paid for from the Thames Valley Police Community Fund.
This was a presentation by Caroline Stevenson (Public Protection Partnership) followed by a Q & A session.
Caroline gave us 10 things to remember:
- If it sounds too good to be true it probably is.
- Don’t agree on deals/quotes straightaway – if in doubt always get independent or legal advice first.
- Never hand over any money until you have checked credentials.
- Never send money to anyone you don’t know or trust- no matter how sad the story is.
- Never give anyone your banking details including your PIN number.
- Always log onto a website directly instead of clicking on a link.
- Don’t rely on hear-say or social media for information on someone’s workmanship – find independent evidence on a company’s success.
- Always make sure that you change passwords regularly and use different passwords. Don’t use family names, pet names etc.
- If you have spotted a scam or have been scammed, please report it.
- Don’t be embarrassed to report a scam. Anyone can and does get scammed.
Doctors, teachers, young and old do get scammed. Scammers make a living out of this and are very good at what they do. If you feel you have been a victim of a scam you can contact:
Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or at actionfraud.police.uk
Trading Standards at tsadvice@westberks.gov.uk
Call 101 if the suspect is still in the area.
A very helpful website: https://www.takefive-stopfraud.org.uk/
***PLEASE KEEP IN TOUCH: Urgent messages and notices will be sent to members via e-mail. To be included PLEASE E-MAIL ACER at chair@acerwhitegates.org.uk and ask to be put on to ACER Google Groups. This information is GDPR compliant and will not be passed on to any other organisation. If you do not have e-mail, we will deliver a note.
ACER CONTACTS – email: chair@acerwhitegates.org.uk Committee: Tim Marsh (Chair), George Blackmore (Vice Chair). Siôn Williams (Treasurer), Naomi Cambridge, Jenny Carr, Graham May,
Local WOKINGHAM BOROUGH COUNCILLORS: Shirley Boyt Shirley.boyt@wokingham.gov.uk Andy Croy andy.croy@wokingham.gov.uk; Shahid Younis shahid.younis@wokingham.gov.uk;
Local EARLEY TOWN COUNCILLORS: Gurdeep Bhangra gurdeepbhangra@earley-tc.gov.uk; Sheena Matthews sheenamatthews@earley-tc.gov.uk 07766 424098, Marion Shaw marionshaw@earley-tc.gov.uk;
If you have a local street representative, they are: _______________________________________
